Within existing architectural structures, landlords and businesses increasingly desire to make functional and aesthetic changes to interior spaces without significantly altering the building in a permanent way. These changes are made to transform the appearance of existing walls or displays, to accommodate new technology, or to provide for more efficient use of space. In order to effectuate these changes, existing walls must be modified or an independent wall system inserted.
For example, in the banking industry, small branch banks are being installed in remote locations, such as grocery stores, malls and superstores. While the space required to accommodate a branch bank may be small, for example, simply the space required for an ATM, installation is complicated, time-consuming and expensive. Because alterations are being made to an existing wall structure, a contractor or specialist must be hired. Existing wiring and plumbing must be located in order to avoid damage to these areas or to interface with the new equipment. Preparation of the space, including destruction of a portion of an existing wall, is noisy and disruptive and creates dirt and debris that may be a hazard to customers. As such, during the installation process either the entire store must be closed or a sufficient area around the work site roped off until completion. Given its complexity, installation is frequently a time-consuming process. Once completed, if problems arise, the contractor or specialist must be called. Further, the location cannot be removed without an even greater expenditure of time and money. Finally, the appearance of the branch bank, including artistry and advertising, cannot be easily changed.
In addition to wanting to make changes to existing wall structures, landlords and businesses frequently desire to "create space" by dividing large, open area into individual work spaces. In response to this need, a number of partition systems have been devised. In this regard, see U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,746,034 and 5,784,843. One type of partition system includes partial height partition panels detatchably interconnected. Another such partition system includes modular furniture wherein freestanding furniture units are positioned side-by-side with privacy screens utilized to create individual work areas. The success of these systems depends upon their flexibility and their ability to adapt to ever-changing space planning requirements. Additionally, these systems must be capable of providing necessary electrical, plumbing and telecommunications utilities to resulting workspaces. Structural integrity frequently is an issue with these partitions as they are interconnected to form a relatively complex system. Further, sturdiness of construction frequently must be balanced against mobility of the partition system.
While some of the functional difficulties of existing wall panels and partition systems have been addressed, the appearance or aesthetic character of these systems has not received attention. Moreover, the ability of such structures to convey information, artistry, or advertising has not been realized. While systems in the past may have a decorative component, they do not provide the artistic flexibility or changeability that is as consequential as design functionality. For businesses, such as restaurants, noticeable variations in interior appearance are a sign of success and are a reinvestment in the customer.
A need exists for a wall system that meets varying functional requirements, is mobile and easily installed, yet also gives a user the capability of easily transforming its appearance.